Polish parliamentary speaker says his UN refugee chief chances rising
Polish parliamentary speaker Szymon Hołownia said on Wednesday that his chances of becoming the next United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have „significantly increased,” as more countries voiced support for his candidacy.
Speaker of the Polish parliament Szymon Hołownia speaks at a press briefing ahead of a lower house (Sejm) session in Warsaw, Noveber 5, 2025.Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka
Hołownia, who applied for the post in late September, said Poland’s foreign ministry and the Sejm (lower house) chancellery share the costs of his foreign trips linked to the campaign.
Speaking ahead of a parliamentary session in Warsaw, Hołownia said he had received backing from Lithuania, Latvia, Albania, Slovenia, Croatia and several African nations, including Sierra Leone – currently chairing the UN Security Council – and Zambia.
He added that discussions were ongoing with Malawi and several Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam.
„I can say with satisfaction that the chances of the Polish candidate in this race have increased significantly,” Hołownia told reporters, adding that both President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk were lobbying foreign leaders in support of his bid.
During a recent visit to Ethiopia, Hołownia met with the country’s deputy foreign minister and senior UN officials.
Hołownia said the visit was both a parliamentary mission and part of efforts to promote Poland’s candidate for the UNHCR role.
He added that he had also held talks in New York with the ambassadors of the United States and China, describing them as „very detailed discussions.”
„The High Commissioner is one of the five or six most important figures in the UN system,” he said, noting that Poland remains underrepresented in UN institutions despite being the organisation’s 20th largest financial contributor.
„Across the entire world, there are 99 Poles working within the United Nations system. In UNHCR, we have 10,” Hołownia noted.
Other candidates for the post reportedly include Turkey’s permanent representative to the UN, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, and Polish humanitarian worker Roman Mazur.
The UNHCR was established in 1950 and leads international efforts to protect refugees and stateless persons.
The next High Commissioner will be nominated by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and confirmed by the General Assembly.
(ał)
Source: PAP
